A covenant is a formal agreement or promise between two parties that establishes a relationship and stipulates the conditions of that relationship. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for covenant is “berith” and the Greek word is “diatheke”. Covenants play a central role in the biblical narrative as God enters into covenants with individuals and groups to establish relationships and outline responsibilities.
There are several important covenants mentioned in the Bible:
– The Noahic Covenant: God’s covenant with Noah after the flood to never again destroy the earth. This covenant is unconditional and everlasting (Genesis 9:8-17).
– The Abrahamic Covenant: God’s covenant with Abraham promising to bless him and make him the father of a great nation, and to give his descendants the land of Canaan. This is an unconditional covenant (Genesis 15, 17).
– The Mosaic Covenant: God’s covenant with Israel mediated through Moses at Mount Sinai, stipulating the 10 Commandments and the Law that Israel was to obey as part of this covenant relationship. It is a conditional covenant. (Exodus 19-24).
– The Davidic Covenant: God’s promise to establish the throne and kingdom of David forever. It is an unconditional covenant made with David and his descendants (2 Samuel 7).
– The New Covenant: The new covenant instituted by Jesus through his blood shed on the cross. It establishes the forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ. It is initiated with Israel but open to all who believe the gospel (Luke 22:20; Hebrews 8:6-13).
There are several key features of biblical covenants:
– They are initiated by God based on his grace.
– They involve a promise from God.
– They establish a relationship between God and humans (or in the Noahic covenant, all living creatures).
– They involve obligations for both parties. God promises blessings but often requires obedience on the human side.
– They are accompanied by signs and seals such as circumcision, the rainbow, the Sabbath, or baptism and communion.
– They are eternal and enduring. God does not break covenant even when humans fail to uphold their side.
Covenants in the ancient Near East followed a similar basic pattern as found in the Bible. A covenant involved the suzerain (great king) entering into a treaty with a vassal (lesser king or nation). Common elements included:
– Preamble identifying the parties involved
– Historical prologue recounting prior relationship
– Stipulations laid out by the suzerain
– Requirement of obedience from the vassal
– Blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience
– Witnesses to the covenant
– Means of renewing the covenant
Covenants in the Bible demonstrate key theological truths:
– God’s faithfulness and grace. Despite human failure, God remains committed to the covenant relationship.
– God’s sovereignty. He initiates the covenants according to his divine plan.
– God’s holiness. The requirement of obedience reflects God’s ethical standards.
– Humanity’s predicament. Our inability to perfectly obey the covenant stipulations points to the problem of sin.
– Christ’s atonement. Jesus perfectly fulfilled the human obligations of covenant. His sacrifice enables the blessings of the new covenant.
– The centrality of faith. Right relationship with God is established through trusting in His covenant promises.
Some key points about the major biblical covenants:
Noahic Covenant
– Made with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature (Genesis 9:9-10)
– Sign of the covenant is the rainbow (Genesis 9:12-13)
– An everlasting, unconditional covenant promising the earth would never again flood (Genesis 9:11)
– A covenant of preservation, emphasizing God’s supremacy over creation
Abrahamic Covenant
– Made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants (Genesis 17:7)
– Sign of the covenant is circumcision (Genesis 17:10-11)
– Included the promises of land, descendants, and blessing (Genesis 12:1-3)
– An unconditional covenant based on God’s grace and faithfulness
– Emphasized God’s choice of Israel to carry out His redemptive plan
Mosaic Covenant
– Made between God and Israel at Mount Sinai mediated through Moses (Exodus 19:5)
– Often called the Sinaitic Covenant
– Based on God redeeming Israel from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 20:2)
– Stipulations include the Ten Commandments and the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 20:1-17; 21-23)
– A conditional covenant requiring obedience to maintain the blessings
– Emphasized Israel’s obligation to obey God’s law
Davidic Covenant
– Promise made by God to establish the kingdom of David forever (2 Samuel 7:8-16)
– Fulfillment is ultimately found in the messianic reign of Jesus Christ
– Emphasized the importance of the Davidic dynasty within God’s redemptive plan
– An unconditional covenant not based on obedience
New Covenant
– Instituted by Jesus Christ through his sacrificial death (Luke 22:20)
– Promises inward transformation through the forgiveness of sins (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
– Mediated by Christ as high priest and based on his atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 8:6)
– Applies to all believers who place faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 11:17-24)
– Emphasizes regeneration, the indwelling Spirit, and heart obedience
The covenants reveal God’s character and demonstrate His relationship with humanity across different eras of biblical history. While the stipulations and expectations shift in some ways from covenant to covenant, God’s faithfulness and commitment to redeem humanity remains constant. The covenants collectively tell the story of God’s purposeful plan to undo the curse of sin and restore people to right relationship with Himself. They culminate in the new covenant instituted by Christ, which provides the only means of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles who put faith in Jesus.
The Abrahamic covenant laid the foundation for God’s plan of redemption, establishing the people of Israel who would give rise to the Messiah. It underscored God’s gracious initiative in choosing Abraham and his descendants to be His instruments to bless the nations. The unconditional nature of this covenant revealed it was based on God’s faithfulness alone, not human merit. It set the trajectory for God’s redemptive plan that would culminate in the messianic blessings of salvation and restoration.
The Mosaic covenant built on the Abrahamic covenant by establishing Israel as a nation governed by God’s law. The stipulations and expectations placed on Israel were preparation for the coming of Christ. Though Israel failed in keeping the covenant perfectly, God still remained faithful and used their experience under the Mosaic covenant to demonstrate human inability to merit salvation. The sacrificial system and priesthood were part of the Mosaic covenant, providing ritual means of atonement that foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Christ.
The Davidic covenant reinforced the promises to Abraham that God would raise up a ruler from his line. The dynasty of David pointed toward the eternal messianic reign of Jesus, the Son of David and heir to David’s throne. The unconditional nature of this covenant confirmed that God alone would establish the kingdom through His provision of the Messiah. While David’s line endured ups and downs prior to Christ, God remained faithful to the covenant promise, ultimately establishing the messianic kingdom in Jesus.
The new covenant in Christ is the fulfillment and climax of all the biblical covenants. Jesus is the mediator of this new covenant, securing it through his sacrificial death that atoned for sin once and for all. The forgiveness and spiritual rebirth promised in the new covenant was not attained through keeping the old covenants; it required the work of Christ and His provision of both pardon for sins and power to obey God from the heart by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The new covenant retains continuity with previous covenants, but transforms and transcends them. It is new, yet also represents renewal of the covenants with Israel. The expectations move from external to internal as God’s law is written on believers’ hearts. Faith in Christ is now the central requirement, not physical descent from Abraham or offering of sacrifices. The covenant community expands beyond national Israel to include people from all nations. The new covenant fulfills all that the old covenants anticipated but could not accomplish apart from Christ.
In summary, the biblical covenants collectively tell the story of God’s redemption. The covenant concept is the thread that ties together God’s purposeful and gracious plan across Scripture. Each covenant builds on those before, moving closer to the arrival of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the new covenant through His atoning sacrifice. God’s covenants reveal His steadfast determination to undo the curse of human rebellion and restore humanity to right relationship with Himself.
